[NASH]

My yield from sets seem to be poor over the last couple of seasons and I fancy a go from seed.

[andy135]

This thread may help you. Read both pages of it.
http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=59722.0

I have grown onions for the first time this year. I ordered 100 set of sturion from dobies, and received 122. All but 2 have grown and are between tennis ball and grapefruit size.
I will however try growing from seed next year.
Good luck with them.

[SG6]

Never tried, will do so next year as although fairly good from a set I find they fall over and never grow upright.

Gather that you can start them off indoors in Jan/Feb to get a fair start. Or plant out in rows around March.

So planning on 2 seed varieties to give them a go.

Someone here posted a site called moreveg.co.uk that seems to have a fair selection of seed varieties.

[solway cropper]

If you've grown spring onions from seeds they're as easy as that.

Like others say, it's best to start them off early to get as long a growing season as you can.

[peterjf]

1. start seeds as normal ,

2 . prick out when large enough to handle into several 6 inch pots ,

3 , when onion plants are 7-9 inches tall, place into cold frame to harden off

4 . score a line across your plot , about 2 inches deep,

5 , lay onion plant roots into the bottom of shallow and cover,
    about 7-8 inches apart allowing the onion to be about 45 degrees,

6 , keep watering every3 days with a fine sprinkler,

the onion plant will pull itself up straight , then treat as a normal onion plant

[Ivah]

I always grow Onions from seed. Many years ago Geoff Hamilton suggested growing them in clumps in peat blocks and I use a modified version of that technique.
I use the flimsy square pots that 15 of fit a standard seed tray. I use a mixture of two thirds multipurpose compost and one third JI2. Sow 5 or 6 seeds per pot in mid-February in slight heat then grow on when germinated in a cold greenhouse, use fleece if very frosty. Plant out the clumps a foot apart when the weather is kind, usually first half of April with me. This way you get medium size Onions that keep well.

PS : you can do the same with Shallots.